Yandex Invests in A Logistics Services Software Provider

Internet, January 29, 2014. Yandex (NASDAQ: YNDX) has signed a cooperation agreement with MultiShip, a logistics services aggregator. Based on the agreement, Yandex is purchasing MultiShip’s software platform for $1 million and investing several million into the company's development. The service’s software developers are joining the Yandex development team.

MultiShip offers internet stores a simple way to arrange deliveries within the Russian Federation. Almost all of Russia’s largest logistics providers make use of MultiShip’s service, which facilitates delivery and accounting without the need for any separate contracts or technical integration between the internet stores and such providers. Cooperation with Yandex will accelerate MultiShip’s development. The invested funds will go towards creating new services and expanding MultiShip’s client base. The combined team of Yandex and MultiShip developers will complete work on a technological platform for cooperation between stores and logistics providers. MultiShip will continue to use the software platform acquired by Yandex under a license agreement. Yandex itself will also use the software to calculate delivery times and costs within its comparison shopping system, Yandex.Market.

“Russia’s regions are driving a lot of the growth in the country’s e-commerce market. The biggest obstacles to the spread of e-commerce are problems with logistics and delivery,” said Alexey Avdey, head of the Yandex.Market service. “Not all stores are able to organise delivery around the country, especially smaller stores. Retailers and consumers alike suffer as a result. By investing in MultiShip, we hope to facilitate communication between internet stores and shoppers wherever they are located in Russia. Also, we see MultiShip as a potential partner that will help with deliveries to stores that work with Yandex.Market.”

“We believe our partnership with Yandex will help us to change the logistics market and simplify delivery arrangements for internet stores,” said MultiShip head Mergen Chumudov. “We have well-established relationships with logistics companies, a technological platform, and a track record of successful work in the regions. The technical support of Yandex will allow us to open up access to the regions for all the country’s internet stores. It will undoubtedly boost e-commerce in Russia.”

At present, MultiShip works with more than 300 internet stores. The service facilitates the delivery of orders to more than 40,000 cities and towns across the country, and also offers more than 2,000 collection points. MultiShip collaborates with leading domestic logistics players including Axiomus, B2Cpl, Boxberry, CDEK, Maxima Express, PickPoint, Pony Express, QIWI Post, and CourierServiceExpress. It also delivers goods for Russian Post and EMS Russia Post (through one of its partners).